Peter Dominguez Releases “Groove Dreams”

Peter Dominguez has released Groove Dreams, an intimate and jaw-droppingly beautiful new solo double bass album. While the 10-song collection varies in content from jazz standards to new compositions to pop ballads, there is one common thread throughout: the late, great jazz legend Milt Hinton.

Dominguez, who is a professor of jazz studies and double bass at Oberlin Conservatory, first spoke with Hinton in 1980 and would go on to become close to “The Judge” until his passing in 2000. A decade later, he was contacted by the Hinton estate. “We forged a relationship that brought essential artifacts from Milt’s collection to Oberlin so that future generations of students and scholars may experience them. Among those treasures is Milt’s magnificent 18th-century Italian bass that he played throughout his career.”

Groove Dreams was recorded entirely on the instrument and for good reason. Dominguez channels a special energy through it. Whether it’s the ethereal “Crystal Silence” or the dance-inducing “Bossa Nova Nemo (The Jive Samba),” the bass sings with both depth and clarity. Another highlight on the album is “Lately.”

“When Stevie premiered this beautiful ballad, he simulated an acoustic bass on his Synclavier II,” Dominguez explains. “I always wondered what it would sound like on a wood instrument, so here it is with the luscious dolce chocolate sounds of Milt’s bass.”

Check out “Lately”:

“Words are not adequate to express the experience of playing Milt’s bass,” the bassist concludes, “and we are ever mindful of its provenance and Milt’s enduring spirit that thrives within it. My hope is for these grooves – the melodies, feelings, and stories – to provide you with lasting memories and many groove dreams.”